Thank you for Reading!

Thank you for Reading!
We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.

Thank you for reading the Waco Tribune-Herald. You're entitled to a limited number of free articles every 30 days, and you currently have 0 remaining. Then, if you enjoy our site and want full access, you may purchase an affordable subscription. Current subscribers may log in here.

Thank you for reading the Waco Tribune-Herald. You're entitled to a limited number of free articles every 30 days, and you currently have 0 remaining. Then, if you enjoy our site and want full access, you may purchase an affordable subscription. Current subscribers may log in here.

Thank you for signing in! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.

Thank you for reading the Waco Tribune-Herald. You're entitled to a limited number of free articles every 30 days, and you currently have remaining. Then, if you enjoy our site and want full access, you may purchase an affordable subscription. Current subscribers may log in here.

Thank you for reading the Waco Tribune-Herald. You're entitled to a limited number of free articles every 30 days, and you currently have remaining. Then, if you enjoy our site and want full access, you may purchase an affordable subscription. Current subscribers may log in here.

Thank you for reading the Waco Tribune-Herald. You're entitled to a limited number of free articles every 30 days, and you currently have remaining. Then, if you enjoy our site and want full access, you may purchase an affordable subscription. Current subscribers may log in here.

Thank you for reading the Waco Tribune-Herald. You're entitled to a limited number of free articles every 30 days, and you currently have remaining. Then, if you enjoy our site and want full access, you may purchase an affordable subscription. Current subscribers may log in here.

Thank you for Reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.

Yet again Mission Waco executive director Jimmy Dorrell has seen his knack for raising money…

The Mexican ice cream and fruit shop will occupy the first renovated space available in Mission Waco’s The Colcord Center, a once woebegone liquor store that breathes new life thanks to $440,000 in pledges, including $220,000 from Christ is Our Salvation, a family-run foundation affiliated with the one that gave money to launch Mission Waco 26 years ago. Rydell Properties, a local real estate development company whose staff includes Meek, is fielding inquiries free of charge.

Colcord ‘corridor’

Meek said he was thrilled to find a lead tenant that promises to make the “Colcord Avenue corridor” even more appealing to families that will be able to walk to the ice cream shop, in addition to other nearby attractions, including the Baked Bliss bakery and Mission Waco’s grouping of ventures there.

Eduardo Garcia will open an ice cream shop (at left) as the first tenant of the former liquor store property that Mission Waco is redeveloping at North 15th Street and Colcord Avenue.

“The anchor corner store was the most important, and Helados La Azteca was the perfect fit,” Dorrell wrote in an email. “We hoped for a minority-owned business in our multi-cultural neighborhood, one that had a good track record with a quality product. They have it. We wanted a store that would complement existing food sources, D’s Mediterranean, World Cup Cafe and Jubilee Food Market. We wanted a store that was family friendly and could affirm our growing Hispanic neighborhood. Perfecto.”

Dorrell wrote that his adopted daughter, who is Hispanic, insisted more than a year ago that Mission Waco look for a “Mexican ice cream store” for Colcord Center.

“The irony is, they found us, like the North Waco neighborhood and newly renovated building,” he said. “Dillon Meek did an outstanding job at working out details of the lease agreement.”

Dorrell said design plans are being drawn for the two remaining units, and he hopes for city approval and the launch of construction within weeks.

Eduardo Garcia will open an ice cream shop as the first tenant of the former liquor store that Mission Waco is redeveloping at 15th and Colcord.

Staff photo — Rod Aydelotte

Garcia’s shop

Garcia said he hopes to open the sweets shop by mid-June, earlier if possible, after retrofitting the space for Helados La Azteca.

The shop will sell homemade treats including aguas frescas, fruit cups, Mexican popsicles and snacks, in addition to Blue Bell ice cream. He said four or five employees, including himself, will run the shop from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. The Garcia family operates other stores at 3302 Franklin Ave. and in the Fort Worth suburb of Haltom City.

The family has sold products in bulk for several years to entrepreneurs who sell the treats from carts and vans, he said.

The Helados La Azteca customer base is about three-fourths Hispanic, but patronage is growing among other ethnic groups, Garcia said.

Chris Evilia, executive director of the Metropolitan Planning Organization, said demographic studies show about a third of residents in the neighborhoods around North 15th Street and Colcord Avenue are Hispanic.

Garcia said he will publicize the shop using flyers and social media.

Get Trib headlines sent directly to you, every day.

* I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.

Watch this discussion.Stop watching this discussion.

(0) comments

Welcome to the discussion.

Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language.PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated.Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything.Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person.Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts.Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article.